Nursing Home Malnutrition & Dehydration Lawyer in Las Vegas
Over 45 Years Holding Las Vegas Nursing Facilities Accountable
Nevada nursing homes are legally required to provide residents with adequate food, water, and any feeding or drinking assistance they need. When a facility fails that duty, malnutrition and dehydration can develop quietly and progress into serious, life-threatening harm. These aren’t just medical problems. They’re neglect.
Depending on the circumstances, these claims may be pursued as nursing home neglect and abuse claims or medical malpractice matters. Founder Steven M. Burris was appointed head of the Southern Nevada Panel for the State of Nevada Medical Legal Screening Panel, a role focused on evaluating the medical merits of claims. That background is directly relevant when a malnutrition or dehydration case sits at the intersection of facility neglect and provider negligence.
Burris & Thomas, LLC has over 45 years of combined experience representing injury victims across Nevada, including numerous million-dollar verdicts. Call (702) 529-3101 to discuss what happened to your loved one.
Why Nutritional Neglect Happens in Nursing Facilities
Understaffing is the most common underlying cause. When a facility runs too few staff for its resident population, meal supervision falls short, fluid intake goes unmonitored, and residents who need hands-on feeding assistance don’t receive it consistently. High staff turnover and inadequate training compound the problem.
Residents living with dementia, swallowing difficulties, or limited mobility face the highest risk. These individuals can’t advocate for themselves at mealtimes and depend entirely on staff presence and attentiveness. Facilities are expected to document each resident’s dietary needs, track weight changes, and log daily fluid intake. When those records aren’t kept, malnutrition and dehydration can go undetected for weeks.
Warning Signs Families Should Watch For
Family visits are often the most reliable check on a resident’s condition. Staff shortages limit how closely individual residents are monitored between those visits, which means family members frequently notice changes before the facility does.
Common warning signs of malnutrition and dehydration include:
- Unexplained weight loss, even gradual loss over several visits
- Dry or cracked skin and lips, sunken eyes, or reduced skin elasticity
- Dark urine or complaints of infrequent urination
- Confusion or unusual fatigue that seems to have worsened recently
- Loss of appetite or visible reluctance to eat or drink
- Pressure sores, which develop faster when nutrition is inadequate
If any of these signs appear, document them with photographs and dates, note what staff say when asked, and request copies of recent weight logs and care plan records. That documentation can become critical evidence in any subsequent claim.
Why Families in Clark County Choose Burris & Thomas, LLC
Burris & Thomas, LLC handles both nursing home neglect and abuse claims and medical malpractice matters, so the firm can pursue a malnutrition or dehydration case through whichever legal theory fits the facts. Many of these cases involve both a facility’s operational failures and a medical provider’s negligence. Having counsel who can evaluate both angles from the outset matters.
Steven M. Burris holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, has been recognized by Nevada Super Lawyers, and is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates. The firm has secured numerous million-dollar verdicts and settlements across more than four decades of Nevada personal injury practice.
Talk to a Las Vegas Nursing Home Neglect Attorney
If a loved one in a Las Vegas or Clark County nursing facility has shown signs of malnutrition or dehydration, time matters. Nevada’s filing deadlines for neglect and malpractice claims can be as short as one year, and evidence inside a facility can be difficult to preserve once a complaint is filed. Burris & Thomas, LLC takes cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning no fee is owed unless compensation is recovered.
Contact Burris & Thomas, LLC at (702) 529-3101 to schedule a free consultation about a malnutrition or dehydration neglect claim.
Our FAQ
Have questions? We are here to help. Still have questions or can't find the answer you need? Give us a call at 702-529-3101 today!
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How much is my case worth?
There are many factors that go into evaluating the settlement value of a personal injury case. It is not a simple matter of applying a formula. Typically, everyone thinks that their case is “simple” and “clear-cut”. Everyone tends to think that the amount of money they are seeking is “fair and reasonable”. That is human nature. However, the reality is that, in the end, a personal injury case is worth what a jury says it is worth. The job of the victim’s personal injury lawyer is to come up with a settlement that reflects the risk of going to trial (odds of winning vs. odds of losing), together with the range of what value a jury might actually return on the case.
In deciding settlement values, we need to consider the following:
- Is fault clear, or contested?
- Are the injuries severe or mild?
- Is there an issue with insurance coverage?
- Is the client a good communicator?
- Is the defendant/wrongdoer likable or unlikable?
Normally, I am able to give a very general estimate range of settlement value and odds soon after taking on a case, with the understanding that these are just estimates and not guarantees. The longer the case goes on, the more definite I can be about the settlement value range.
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Do I have a personal injury case?
It is often times said by attorneys that in order for there to be a viable personal injury case, there must be “three legs on the stool.” These legs are: liability (or fault); damages (or injury); and collectability (insurance). If any one of the “legs” is missing, then there is not a viable case.
- Liability - A clear example of liability would be someone running through a red light. That person would be at fault. On the other hand, let us say that somebody is hit by a meteorite falling from the sky, and seriously hurt. In that case, although there is injury, there is no earthly entity at fault.
- Damages - An example of damages would be someone getting hit in the nose by an airbag, which breaks their nose. That person has an injury caused by the collision. On the other hand, what if that same person is almost hit by a car running a red light, but by the grace of God is able to avoid the collision? That person might say “I was almost killed, but I didn’t get a scratch.” In that case, the person was not injured and there is no case.
- Collectability - To give an example of collectability, imagine that a drunk driver runs through a red light, and the driver is Donald Trump. In that case, if Donald Trump hit and injured someone when he ran the red light, the victim will be able to collect upon any judgment that they receive. Imagine, on the other hand, that the drunk driver is someone who just got out of prison, and has no insurance and no property. Although that person will probably go to jail, there is no practical way to collect money from him, as he is a “scofflaw” living outside responsibilities of society.
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What Is the Nevada Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Cases?
When it comes to filing a personal injury lawsuit, it's important to pay attention to the statute of limitations for the state you're filing in. A statute of limitations is the time limit that a state puts on how long after your accident you are allowed to file a personal injury lawsuit. Statutes vary from state to state.
Nev. Rev. Stat. § 11.190(4)(e) (2016) states that individuals wishing to file a personal injury lawsuit must do so within 2 years of the date of their accident. However, there are certain exceptions that can be made depending on your circumstances. For example, if you have been injured as a result of medical malpractice, you generally only have 1 year to file your lawsuit after the date of your injury (Nevada Revised Statutes section 41A.097).
Statute of limitations can be complex, and if you fail to file your lawsuit within the allotted amount of time your case will most likely be dismissed. Don't put your compensation on the line! Contact our experienced Las Vegas personal injury attorneys today to schedule a free consultation and determine what your next steps should be.
